Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-05-10
ror the oIfori DsmoeraI
MAINE ~ 1875.

hhiNIs i.N if'"s
An Investment Of rs cents which ]
recently made q, q second hand book
store secured me . volume which IL both
interesting and historically valuable. IL
i. copy Of Joseph seo,,'s "Gsrs'eer OF
the United States" published a, Phils-
dslphia in 1875. and supposed to COZ.
tain q brief account Of all the principal
ei,i,. and towns then in the country.
From IL. pages |, i' learned that Phila.
dslphia With 5j 900 Inhabitants was the
lsrse., city in the eOun,ry. The popa.
la,ion Of New York was . little over
so 900 in 1890. Boston aud Baltimore
were next In importance. Pi,,sbars,
nov /. city Of 200. 900 inhabitants. then
had 900 dwellings. While Chicago. cleve'
land. ST. Loui. and other large western
ei,ie. were no, ys, born.
The old book contains map Of Maine.
upon which the only ,o~ns named are
Wells. York. Portland and Po~nalboro
The latter on the Kennebee River. The
description Of "Msine. District Of" co.,
tain, some interesting things. among
them the following;
"ll /. divided into five counties. viz
York. Cumberland. Lneoln. Hsneo:k
aud Washington. The four first OF these
eoun,is. are divided into about 100 in
eorpor.,ed io~n.hips. bu, In Washing.
ton County there Is only one incorporated
to~n,hip. the greater part Of It being
yet unsettled. The number OF inhsoi.
tani. in ,hi. district. according TO the
M.rhar. return in 1890. VI. 96.5iO
A A'peeiss OF stone s found
in York County which yields copper.
and sulphur. Bog iron ore !, found IN
some parts Of the country. aud works
have been erected Zoe manufacturing II
into pig. bar iron etc. The principal
exports OF thi. country eOn'i', Of the va
riou. kinds Of timber necessary Tor
ship building. white pine boards, ani,
in tine, all kinds Of lumber. Consider.
able quantities Of fur. dried aud picked
fish. are annually exported.
"Tkeexpor,. in the year i7oi Amounted
TO SO. .2s5 dollars. Ia 1907 the hrs, a.
tempt, we're made TO settle this territory.
near the sea coa., on the west aide OF
the Kennebec river. No permanen,
.e,ilemen, took place until 1893.
when Sir Ferdinand Georges obtained
from the Couneil Of Plymouth 4 gran, OF
100 square miles. between the Kennebec
and Pl.cA,sqaa Rivers. and Vas the first
|, is supposed. who established regular
government"
OF the present metropolis Of the Pine
Tree State, the "Gsxeteer says;
portland. . port Of entry and pos,
town Of Massachusetts,. and Capitol OF
the District Of Maine. IL i, situated IN
Cumberland County. on . promon,ory'
in Caseo Bay. and Was formerly part
OF Falmouth, but being situated on
the haibor and more conveniently fo'
commerce the Legislature Of Msssaehus'
e,,s passed an act Incorporating It with
Falmouth, together with the islands Ia
the hsrbor. by the name OF Portland. II
IL near the main ocean. and hasa con'
,enisnt, large and excellent hsrbor. Th'
town, and q, far s i's Jurisdiction ex'
tends by act Of Incorporation. contains
2.2iO inhabitants. Here are two Con
grga,ioasl churches, one for Episcopal
ians and . handsome court house. Th'
inhabitants are remarkable for their In
du.,ry. economy and enterprise. Thel
build ships. have q great number o.
hands employed in the fisheries. and carr,
on . brisk foreign trade. The export
from this port In the year ending Sept
80, 1894 amounted TO 1850 dollars.
The map before mentioned shows tha
with the exception Of York. each OF 'h'
five counties extended from the sesboar'
to Canada. Cumberland County iron
which Oxford Was taken later had %,
$50 inhabitants. and contains twenty
f.ur towns, namely; Portland. Go'hsm
Scarboro, Falmouth. Cape Eiirsbeth
New Gloucester. Gray. windhsm. o'i'
| field, Rsymondtown. Bhdgto~n, Flint.
town, sisndish. Ba,,srasld. Ra.h-ld
| Norway. Turner. Buektown. Shepherds
town. Bsksn,o-n, North Yarmouth
Freport. Durham. Brunswick an
Hsrps~ell. :,
Doubtless some OF your readers oh
are posted In local history may be adj
10 tell What towns are meant by the IN
familiar namts. fiints,own. Ba,isrhsl
and shepherds,own. L:w. n
Pia,barg. Pa. Day 2. 1881.